Friday, December 28, 2012

A Buffle Bath

I went out to the wetlands yesterday, hoping to see the lone male Bufflehead that has been around the past few days. I spotted him in middle of the southern end of cell 2. We observed him for a little over half an hour. The Bufflehead mostly went about his business, foraging alone, but occasionally tagged along with a nearby group of Hooded Mergansers.

Bufflehead

Watching the Bufflehead preen was amusing. He rolled on to his side and swam in circles as he cleaned his feathers.

Bufflehead & Hooded Merganser

Bufflehead

The Great Blue Herons are hard at work these days. The females are perched upon their chosen Palm Trees.

Great Blue Heron

The males are gathering materials to construct their nests.

This Limpkin was searching for apple snails.

Limpkin

This scene made me smile. Coots are very common and numerous this time of the year at the wetlands. This was the first time though, that I saw a Coot eating off the back of a turtle! The turtle didn't seem to mind the free cleaning.

A wonderful variety of birds seen at the wetlands. Fantastic captures of the Bufflehead as well as the other birds featured in this wonderful post. I really love the close-ups! You are quite the gifted photographer, Tammy!

This post is incredibly beautiful! the bufflehead with the open wings is a real wonder of Nature. the working heron looks so serious and conscious, more than most human beings ;-) ..the "dont mind turtle" feels very comfortable and so would I at her place.. I could go on. every picture has his own expression. Good work!!

Tammy,I wish you the best in the new year, happiness health and thousands of those great "meetings" in the nature.Dany

I love the title of this post Tammy, so funny :) Birds are such curious looking creatures, I don't know why but I think ducks must have a sense of humour, they seem so silly. I love the heron with the stick in its mouth. Now that I've seen the size of the stick, I can only imagine the size of its nest!